A semiconductor manufacturing step includes a step in which a substrate is processed by supplying a chemical liquid onto a surface of the substrate. For example, a developing apparatus, which is provided in a coating and developing apparatus for forming a resist pattern, is configured to horizontally hold a substrate on a substrate holding part disposed in a cup that defines a processing area, and to supply a developer as a chemical liquid from a nozzle. After the developer has been supplied to the substrate, a dissoluble portion of a resist film is made unmoved for a time, e.g., for several tens seconds, required for the portion to be dissolved by the developer.
The following methods are known as a method of applying a developer onto a surface of a substrate.
(1) A method in which a nozzle is scanned along a surface of a substrate, the nozzle having an outlet of a length equal to or larger than a width of an effective area of the substrate.
(2) A method in which, while a substrate is being rotated, a nozzle having an outlet formed of a slit whose length is about several centimeters is moved from a peripheral portion of a substrate to a central portion thereof, with the nozzle discharging a developer.
It is required for a coating and developing apparatus to achieve a higher throughput, e.g., to process as much as 240 substrates per hour. In addition, preventing a contamination of substrates and reducing the number of components in order to simplify the apparatus are also required.
Patent Document 1 describes the following apparatus. In this apparatus, two cups are aligned in a right and left direction, and waiting pots are provided on both sides of the aligned cups. A developer is supplied to substrates loaded into the two cups, by means of one developer nozzle. In this apparatus, a deionized-water nozzle for rinsing is rotatably disposed on each cup.
Patent Document 2 describes a structure in which a developer nozzle waits at a center between two cups.
However, neither Patent Document 1 nor 2 considers that a chemical liquid is differently supplied corresponding to a kind (lot) of substrates. In addition, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, depending on a timing at which another substrate is loaded, since the developer nozzle is moved beyond a substrate that is stationary for development, there is a possibility that a developer falls down from the developer nozzle onto the stationary substrate, which invites a failure in development.